Known Participant

Question

Is This Image Photoshopped?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
July 15, 2018
9 replies
3828 views

Figured there might a photoshop expert out there that may be able to spot some tell-tale signs that this image has been photoshopped (or if it is legit).

Namely, I'm trying to determine whether or not the reflection in the mirror has been tinkered with. It looks fishy to me, almost as if the reflection of the man taking a picture is not the actual reflection from the original image. But I'm not really sure what to look for.

Anybody have any feelings one way or the other on this? Has the reflection been photoshopped?

Close Up

Any insight would be much appreciated.

Cheers

This topic has been closed for replies.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

This is the answer I received:

"Hi Barbara-

There is no photoshopping on those images. Forrest took them and sent them to me. I posted them without anything more than cropping and resizing.

-dal"

S

superherobydayAuthor

Known Participant

Barbara,

That's Dal Neitzel, he's the owner of the blog. The man who took the pictures (and possibly tinkered with them) is Forrest Fenn. But he doesn't answer such questions. Have a funny feeling we'll never know for sure, but I think Trevor makes a pretty solid case for photoshopping in post #23.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

As you say, the image was probably photoshoped. The image looks like it was photographed above eye level. The man in the mirror is looking down, which would indicate that the photo was taken from above. The whole image is keystoning, including the mirror, so that is consistent.

Because the image is low-res, I find it difficult to accurately determine a vanishing point, but it does seem that the mirror is somewhat off.

KShinabery212

Community Expert

The guy kind of looks like he is outside. I mean the background in the mirror image is strange when you see the room anyways.

Let's connect on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshinabery/

davescm

Community Expert

If you do a google image search and see the rest of the room (icluding the cabinet and picture) - there is a window light to the right and blue/green tiles behind the camera

Dave

thatsmauri

Community Expert

Tools like the following website can be useful: https://fotoforensics.com/

Though you need to know, how to analyze the outcome (see here).

ELA for this image: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=5d38920db5c6708380c6299d28f5c4714a983cfb.95671&show=ela

michaelp798

Participating Frequently

I think also, a few days ago clipping path associate helps me to edit a pic such like this.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

I don't think you should be rude to Jane-e, she is a distinguished and knowledgeable volunteer on this forum.

D Fosse

Community Expert

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Derek+Cross wrote
I don't think you should be rude to Jane-e, she is a distinguished and knowledgeable volunteer on this forum.

Indeed. This thread seems to attract some sensitive people. This isn't exactly a question with a textbook answer, so everybody, let's allow some latitude here.

I still have no idea why my post got reported and rejected. I'd apologize if I had a clue what I'm supposed to apologize for.

Anyway, what I'd like to know is why the OP suspects the image has been manipulated. The context might be helpful here - what would the objective of such a manipulation be?

davescm

Community Expert

A quick google image search turns up pics of the rest of that bathroom and an explanation of the bamboo cane which is a back scratcher - so on balance - probably not.

Dave

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

What about the shadows being cast by the two round handles on the bottom of the chest. It looks like they are casting shadows that go up instead of down or to the sides.

S

superherobydayAuthor

Known Participant

Barbara,

Nice catch on the shadows of the handles. You're right, they almost look underlit. Strange.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

I'm not sure if the darkness above the handles is shadow from the handles or oil from hands using the handles multiple times.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Looking at the top of the chest, it looks like there is some kind of stick laying on it. But I can't figure out what this is (circled in red).

S

superherobydayAuthor

Known Participant

Barbara,

Interesting, I hadn't noticed that before. Also looks like the ornament on the right doesn't have a shadow on the wall? Which is strange because the object on the left does. hmm...

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Yes, I was just noticing that too, about the shadow of the object on the right. On all the other objects, the lighting seems to be coming from two directions, casting a shadow in to directions. But the object on the right casting any shadow.

D Fosse

Community Expert

The clue is usually in the lighting, but here it actually checks out: there is some bluish cold light coming in from top left - about where it also seems to hit in the reflection.

The blue fringing is no different than the fringing elsewhere. Just sharpening artifacts, taking on whatever color is there.

I can't believe that any software "will" detect altering. Let's say may - if it's badly done. A high-res image downsampled, metadata removed, and saved to jpeg will conceal anything. Except inconsistent lighting.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Looking at the image overall, you're right that it does have fringing elsewhere. I hear that Adobe is developing software to detect if any image has been edited. Adobe to use artificial intelligence to detect manipulation in images- Technology News, Firstpost

As you emphasized and as Adobe says in their article "no piece of technology can provide a foolproof verification system". I suppose that means that evidence from such software wouldn't hold up in court.

I can't say for sure, but it looks like the photo was pretty good to begin with and then the whole image may have been enhanced in Photoshop afterwards.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Reflections in photos are often edited, and it looks like the reflection in this photo has indeed been edited. The bright blue hallowing around the head and shoulder on the left is one indication.

There are a number of software application that can detect whether an image has been Photoshopped. I've not tried them so can't vouch for any of them. This one is free, so you could start with that Photo Forensics: How to Check If a Picture Has Been Photoshopped or Not « Digiwonk :: Gadget Hacks

S

superherobydayAuthor

Known Participant

Awesome, thank you. I'll run it through the program and see what it spits out

Any opinions as to what extent the reflection has been photoshopped? For instance, would you say the blue tiles seem somewhat normal and it is just the man that has been added? Or does the whole reflection look iffy?

jane-e

Community Expert

Legit? Fishy? Iffy???

You may want to look at the series of threads that begin with "Something for the Weekend", now in its 28th week!

Something for the weekend - Part 28 - The basement

When I see what davescm can create with Blender, I would be suspicious of everything in the bathroom.

But call it what it is: Art.

Unless someone is trying to pass it off as a genuine photograph, as for news journalism—then it's fraud.

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